Chandler police make arrest in 1991 sexual assault case

PHOENIX — The Chandler Police Department arrested a suspect Wednesday in a sexual assault case dating back almost 30 years.

Gary Robert Young, 65, was arrested at his home after police said DNA evidence linked him to a case from 1991.

Young is accused of kidnapping a woman and sexually assaulting her at an apartment complex near Dobson and Frye roads on Nov. 8, 1991.

No suspects were identified at the time but a DNA breakthrough in the early 2000s helped identify Young, Chandler police said.

Evidence sent to the Department of Public Safety Lab connected DNA to a second sexual assault case from 1992, police said.

Detectives then used investigative genetic genealogy to identify a list of potential suspects, which included Young.

Detectives followed up by conducting surveillance on Young, collecting DNA that eventually linked him to the 1991 assault, police said.

Young was booked into the 4th Avenue Jail on charges of sexual assault, aggravated assault, kidnapping and burglary.

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